Shorthanded Freeport girls basketball falls in tip-off tournament to Fox Chapel
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Freeport’s Jaisa Gaillot makes her way to the basket against Fox Chapel in a girls basketball game during the Freeport Tip-Off Tournament on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, at Freeport Middle School. Brandon Croney/Special to the Eagle
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Freeport’s Jaisa Gaillot makes a layup against Fox Chapel in a girls basketball game during the Freeport Tip-Off Tournament on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, at Freeport Middle School. Brandon Croney/Special to the Eagle
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Freeport’s Lillian Holloway drives to the basket against Fox Chapel in a girls basketball game during the Freeport Tip-Off Tournament on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, at Freeport Middle School. Brandon Croney/Special to the Eagle
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Freeport’s Maggie Conger (12) looks for an open teammate against Fox Chapel in a girls basketball game during the Freeport Tip-Off Tournament on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, at Freeport Middle School. Brandon Croney/Special to the Eagle
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Freeport’s Lillian Holloway (3) makes a layup against Fox Chapel in the first quarter in a girls basketball game during the Freeport Tip-Off Tournament on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, at Freeport Middle School. Brandon Croney/Special to the Eagle
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Freeport’s Jaisa Gaillot (23) dribbles by a Fox Chapel defender in a girls basketball game during the Freeport Tip-Off Tournament on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, at Freeport Middle School. Brandon Croney/Special to the Eagle
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Freeport’s Nia Disanti (14) wins most outstanding player for her team after a girls basketball game during the Freeport Tip-Off Tournament on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, at Freeport Middle School. Brandon Croney/Special to the Eagle
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Freeport’s Sophia Glass makes a layup against Fox Chapel in the first half in a girls basketball game during the Freeport Tip-Off Tournament on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, at Freeport Middle School. Brandon Croney/Special to the Eagle
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Freeport’s Jaisa Gaillot (23) drives and looks for a teammate against Fox Chapel in a girls basketball game during the Freeport Tip-Off Tournament on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, at Freeport Middle School. Brandon Croney/Special to the Eagle
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Freeport’s Nia Disanti (14) makes a shot against Fox Chapel in a girls basketball game during the Freeport Tip-Off Tournament on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, at Freeport Middle School. Brandon Croney/Special to the Eagle
BUFFALO TWP — Freeport girls basketball will get healthier. But until then, and facing a challenging non-section schedule, the Yellowjackets are taking some lumps.
That was the case Saturday in the final girls game of the Freeport Tip-Off Tournament, as the hosts were again only able to play just six players in a 43-29 loss to Fox Chapel.
The Yellowjackets (0-3) will be shorthanded for a little more than a week, head coach Jason Kerr said, with Macy Stivenson expected back next week and forward Tessa Keller due back a week later.
The current lineup, which sees two freshmen start and a third come off the bench, will have to shoulder a heavier load and learn on the fly until then.
“This will all help us in the long run,” Kerr said. “By the time we get to January and into that section schedule, we’ll be ready to go.”
Nia Disanti carried the brunt of the offensive load and was active on the glass. The junior point guard played all 32 minutes, having to break Fox Chapel’s press much of the game. Despite battling turnover trouble, she recorded five points and two assists and defensively had seven rebounds and three steals, unofficially.
“We have to ask her to do a lot, especially defensively,” Kerr said. “We’re playing more zone than we want to, but until we can get people back and we can sub, we’ll be in and out of that a little more.”
Disanti was named the team’s top player for the tournament.
The Foxes forced 25 turnovers and sprinted out to a comfortable lead. Lyla Jablon and Bella Urso unofficially had three and two steals, respectively. They held the ’Jackets to just 11-of-46 shooting.
Lilly Holloway paced Freeport with eight points, including two 3-pointers in the middle quarters. And one of the freshman starters, Maggie Conger, had six points, all in the second half, and a handful of rebounds.
“She’s faster than anyone on the floor, and she just needs to keep playing and learning,” Kerr said of Konger. “Her dribbling’s getting better, she’s scoring now a little bit — she’s only gonna get better.”
Urso led Fox Chapel, which shot 19 of 64 from the field, with 22 points.
FOX CHAPEL 50
Lyla Jablon 0 0-0 0; Bailey Sacco 2 3-6 7; Natalie Schaffer 3 2-4 9; Bella Urso 9 0-2 22; Taylor Stocker 1 0-0 3; Ella Shevchuk 0 0-0 0; Adina Rosen 1 0-0 2; Shay Pick 0 0-2 0; Sophie Jacobs 1 0-0 2; Julie Patterson 0 0-0 0; Kaya Kalikowski 1 0-0 2; Chloe Coulter 1 0-0 3; Nina Kulikowski 0 0-0 0; Avri Ebig 0 0-0 0. Totals: 19 5-14 50.
FREEPORT 63
Lilly Holloway 3 0-0 8; Maggie Conger 2 2-4 6; Nia Disanti 2 1-2 5; Sophia Glass 3 1-2 7; Jaisa Gaillot 1 1-2 3; Taelyn Keller 0 0-0 0. Totals: 11 5-10 29.
Fox Chapel 14 10 17 9— 50
Freeport 4 8 6 11— 29
3-point goals: Fox Chapel 7 (Urso 4, Schaffer, Stocker, Coulter); Freeport 2 (Holloway 2).
Tuesday: Aquinas Academy at Freeport, 7:30
